swimmermom3 Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 If you had to pick your top four favorite Shakespeare plays - 2 tragedies and 2 comedies-what would you pick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 Macbeth Hamlet Midsummer Night's Dream Henry V (I know you said 2 comedies, but I'd do a history instead) Those happen to be the four I'm planning to do next year — Macbeth, Hamlet, and Henry V because they fit into the Middle Ages well (and appeal to boys), and Midsummer just because it's my favorite and it's so funny and I can totally see the kids acting it out. :D If this is for your DD and she hasn't done Romeo & Juliet, I would sub that one for Hamlet. (Or you could sub it for Macbeth, but I really love Macbeth, so I would sub it for Hamlet.) Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted August 26, 2010 Author Share Posted August 26, 2010 It's for both kids. Can you believe that she has only covered Romeo and Juliet in 3 years of high school? I was thinking of all of the ones you mentioned except Henry. I love Taming of the Shrew but wasn't sure what the Dude would think of it. Our Shakespearean festival's 2011 picks are Measure for Measure and Love's Labor Lost. I wish I had thought about it for the 2010 season because this year was their 75th anniversary and the selection was excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 I'd go with Othello, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, and Midsummer Night's Dream. But I also love Henry V, so ... Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 Hamlet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night's Dream. But don't stress too much about choosing the "right" ones -- they're all good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 MacbethHamlet Midsummer Night's Dream Henry V (I know you said 2 comedies, but I'd do a history instead) I agree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 For cultural literacy reasons, I go for MND, Hamlet, R & J, and Macbeth. Although I can't see leaving out TN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherInWI Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 Well, another history lover picking Henry V, but for tragedy, I'll take MacBeth and Hamlet, since you've already done Romeo & Juliet, and for comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Taming of the Shrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 If I could only do four of Shakespeare's plays, I'd have to go with all tragedies--Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. These are all too good to miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted August 26, 2010 Author Share Posted August 26, 2010 I am going to reacquaint myself with Henry V starting this afternoon since it's shown up several times. I don't think 5 Shakespeare plays will hurt us.;) The jury is still out between King Lear and Hamlet. You know of course if I order 6-7 plays then I won't have to make a decision just yet.:D Asmimov's Guide to Shakespeare is on its way and then when I've made my decision, I'll purchase the individual plays in the Oxford Series. My college versions were used when I bought them and dd wil need clean copies if she decides to annotate. Henry V will have to be read from the way-too-big volume of the Globe's Shakespeare this afternoon. I have no idea how that and the cat are going to fit on my lap.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdoll Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 Hamlet, Henry V, Othello, and MacBeth. The only comedy I seem to like these days is Much Ado About Nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 (edited) I'd go with: MacBeth & Hamlet for tragedies and Midsummer Night's Dream & Much Ado about Nothing for comedies. Edited August 26, 2010 by Momto2Ns changed my mind on the second comedy :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 My choices would be: Hamlet King Lear Midsummer Night's Dream Taming of the Shrew I agree with everyone that there should be a history but I have never read one so I don't have an opinion of which one. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in MD Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 I'd go for Henry V, Macbeth,Much Ado and Taming the Shrew....no I wasn't trying to rhyme...but it's rather appropriate. ;) And I would definitely through in the video of Kenneth Brannaugh on Henry V and E. Taylor's Shrew....and even if it adds number 5 I'd watch the old Hamlet with Jacobi in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Bill Bryson has a book on Shakespeare -- everything is better with Bill Bryson! I know you ordered the Asimov book already, but I have to plug Bill. The movie Shakespeare in Love is a fun addition on the side. There is one bedroom scene which may make the movie inappropriate for some families. If you are a Doctor Who fan there was a funny Shakespeare episode with David Tennant as the Doctor. My kids hated, I mean HATED Henry V! Don't know if it was something I did wrong or what! This fall we're doing Macbeth and Hamlet and revisiting Midsummer's Night Dream, all of which seem to be on everyone's list. My boys, granted when they were younger boys, really liked Comedy of Errors. They liked the absurdity of it. Much Ado About Nothing, especially with the good film version to watch, is another good comedy to consider. Last year we read The Tempest, reading along while listening to a recording of the play. It was a terrific way to go through a first reading, and I'll probably do that again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 This year we are doing Hamlet, Macbeth, and Henry V to go along with our Medieval studies. We had a blast last year doing Taming of the Shrew. We found several movie versions and enjoyed them. We also did the Tempest last year. If you have to have two comedies and haven't done Taming of the Shrew, I would say do that one and Midsummer Night's Dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achristean Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 My 11 yr old dd loves Midsummer Nights Dream. (She's always loved fairies). She also enjoyed The Tempest. We listened to Midsummer Nights' Dream and we went to our highschool's production of The Tempest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 Do you have any Shakespeare reference books? They might be useful for you. Two that I have are: Essential Shakespeare Handbook (a DK book) ISBN: 0-7894-9333-0 Sparknotes 101- Shakespeare ISBN: 1-4114-0027-5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Lisa, I think my other post on this got eaten, but apologies if this is a double. These guys have 2 Shakespeare plays this season. I haven't seen anything there but my kids have taken acting lessons in the building, which is how I know about them. http://www.nwctc.org/ These guys have classics (O'Neill, Chekov) but not Shakespeare: http://www.artistsrep.org/onstage.aspx Portland Center Stage has an Iliad! http://www.pcs.org/current-season/ but alas no Shakespeare for you. Can you tell I'm waiting for my kids to be old enough to do all this stuff with me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Also perhaps for next summer: http://www.willametteshakespeare.org/schedule/;jsessionid=D0940B955B372B0EE491EA0F6197609C http://www.portlandactors.com/ Noticed the latter do have fall readings: http://www.portlandactors.com/Upcoming%20Events.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 Also perhaps for next summer: http://www.willametteshakespeare.org/schedule/;jsessionid=D0940B955B372B0EE491EA0F6197609C http://www.portlandactors.com/ Noticed the latter do have fall readings: http://www.portlandactors.com/Upcoming%20Events.htm Emily, this is awesome! Guess what is on the agenda for this weekend?:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Not sure if you made your choice yet, but if you go with Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You is a modern remake of that. Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing are my favorite comedies. I too enjoyed Henry V and Kenneth Brannagh's version is great. You can't go wrong with Hamlet and Macbeth. Julius Ceaser isn't bad either. I can't believe only one play has been read. By the time I graduated high school, we must have read a dozen. (Too many my senior year to even remember.) I wonder how DS would do reading some Shakespere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 Not sure if you made your choice yet, but if you go with Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You is a modern remake of that. Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing are my favorite comedies. I too enjoyed Henry V and Kenneth Brannagh's version is great. You can't go wrong with Hamlet and Macbeth. Julius Ceaser isn't bad either. I can't believe only one play has been read. By the time I graduated high school, we must have read a dozen. (Too many my senior year to even remember.) I wonder how DS would do reading some Shakespere. I definitely need to check out Brannagh's version of Henry V, especially since the play has received almost universal support here. One Shakespeare play is a bit appalling which explains why my poor girl is positively excited about reading The Iliad, Antigone, The Canterbury Tales, and more this year. I hope I can match her expectations.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I definitely need to check out Brannagh's version of Henry V, especially since the play has received almost universal support here. One Shakespeare play is a bit appalling which explains why my poor girl is positively excited about reading The Iliad, Antigone, The Canterbury Tales, and more this year. I hope I can match her expectations.:tongue_smilie: Hope you can get it all in. We're going to tackle Iliad this year too and prossibly Beowulf. I'm very excited by what DS has been able to read the past year and have enjoyed the ride along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I definitely need to check out Brannagh's version of Henry V, especially since the play has received almost universal support here. You will LOVE this — it's very gritty and dirty and real. Absolutely brilliant. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Maria Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Personally, I'd go with A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night for comedies, and Hamlet and King Lear for tragedies, if given such a choice; however, if given a choice of any four works, I'd do only tragedies, adding Othello and Macbeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Same for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphispeg Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 All the Henry plays (Richard II, Henry IV parts 1 and 2, Henry V) these give the whole arc of government, loyalty, policy, honesty, war, etc. They were a revelation to me in college. Then King Lear. Great to read with Pride and Prejudice!!! I'd have the student look at synopses of the comedies and pick the one that sounds like the most fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 There are a number of threads that are tagged 'Shakespeare'. You can click on the tag below to see them. Have fun picking! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted September 3, 2010 Author Share Posted September 3, 2010 There are a number of threads that are tagged 'Shakespeare'. You can click on the tag below to see them. Have fun picking! Regards, Kareni "Have fun picking," Kareni says.:tongue_smilie: I feel like the flat squirrel on the highway of life. School starts Tuesday. But unlike the squirrel, I have glorious choices. I have to remind myself that we are technically doing a World Literature Survey, not a Shakespeare survey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 "Have fun picking," Kareni says.:tongue_smilie: I feel like the flat squirrel on the highway of life. School starts Tuesday. But unlike the squirrel, I have glorious choices. I have to remind myself that we are technically doing a World Literature Survey, not a Shakespeare survey. So, would this be you, Lisa? Would your daughter be willing to cast her own vote? Perhaps you could have her read some short synopses of the plays .... I appreciate the challenges of having so much choice; however, I'd rather have many choices than none! So, have fun picking! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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